Andre Yoskowitz
1 Jul 2010 17:45
Microsoft has confirmed today that Xbox Arcade games will be easily ported to Windows Phone 7, using the XNA framework.
Says Oded Ran, head of Consumer Marketing for Windows Phone: "There are four million Xboxes in the UK compared to 2.5 million iPhones; we're now working with developers who know how to make games, and they're able to port Xbox Arcade games to mobile phones easily."
Furthermore, Ran says: "Of course we're not talking about bringing Halo 3 to your mobile phone - users want a 42-inch LCD TV and surround sound to play games like that - but our XNA framework is a big part [of the forthcoming Windows Phone 7 launch devices]."
Ran says Microsoft wants to become a leader in mobile gaming.
Moreover, TR says the "same framework is used to create games on Windows 7 PC games, so it's entirely feasible that multi-platform gaming will play an even bigger part of the launch than previously thought."
Aiming to differentiate itself from the iPhone and Android phones, which use home screens of widgets and icons, Microsoft says it has tried to blend applications together for a more "integrated experience," allowing the OS and applications to "share information with the user in a natural and seamless fashion."